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FROM THE 



ATLANTIC SURF 



TO THE 



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First Trip on the Great Pacific Rail, Road. 
Two Days and Nights Among 

THE M.ORMONS, 



WITH SCENES AN D INCIDENTS, 



BY 



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W. L. HuMASON. 



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HAI\TFOf\p : 

Press of ^Vm. p. J^utchings 

1869. 
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FEOM THE ATLAI^TIO SURF TO THE 

GOLDET^ GATE. 



Whoever casts a glance over the map of this coun- 
try, scans its mighty mountain ranges, glances over its 
majestic rivers, and views its far-extended and deep- 
indented sea coasts, and considers, for a moment, the 
vast domain j^rotected by his Nation's flag, must feel 
proud to call this his own — his "native land," — a land, 
the scenery of which is unsurpassed in grandeur and 
beauty ; a land laved by three oceans, embosoming in- 
numerable wide spread lakes, and sending forth its rocky, 
snow-capped peaks to battle with the clouds. 

"Wherever the writer of these pages has wandered, — 
whether sent forth by the demands of business or called 
forth by the hours of leisure, — he has ever found a 
quiet pleasure in roaming over extended plains, thread- 
ing far-reaching forests, sitting by laughing streams, 
standing by thundering cataracts, or scaling lofty heights. 



FROM THE ATLANTIC SURF 

Ilaviiiir traveled over the Britisli Provinces and al- 
most every state and territory of our own country, east 
of tlie Rockv Mountains, I liad loiii? felt a desire to visit 
those vast re<!;ions extending westward to the Pacific Ocean, 

The near completion of the Pacific Railroad awak- 
ened anew this desire, and I determined to gratify it. 

Accordingly, on the sixth day of May, 18G9, I left 
our jileasant New England, passing over the New York 
Central and Lake Shore Railroads, on my westward way. 

At Chicago we clianged cars for Omaha, and rode 
on through a beautiful region to the banks of the 
Father of Waters ; then on, over a well-constructed 
bridge, through the attractive State of Iowa. The jour- 
ney through this state was a very pleasant one. The 
fine, i-olling prairie land reminded one of the midulating 
waves of the sea ; while the fresh, green grass and the 
bright spring flowers painted the whole landscape with 
the loveliest of hues. 

We made a short stop at Omaha, then commenced 
our important journey over the vast plains, wide-spread 
deserts, and great mountain ranges of a continent. 

Starting out on the Union Pacific Railroad, we soon 



TO THE GOLDEN GATE. 



formed — as travelers will — a little circle, which we called 
our circle ; and we became, as it were, almost one fam- 
ily, thronghont the journey. The members of this cir- 
cle consisted of a Mr. Jennings, once a merchant in 
San Francisco, now residing in Fairfield, Conn.; a Mr. 
Brewster, once of ISTorwich, Conn. ; a young man by the 
name of Adams, from Boston, connected with the West- 
ern Union Telegraph Company ; Mrs. Charles Marsh, 
nurse and child, of Nevada City, California; Mr. Proc- 
tor, of Fitchburg, Mass., U. S. Commissioner, appointed 
to examine the Railroad and report thereon ; a Mr. 
Collins, of New York City, and a Mr. Larkin, of 
California. 

Mr. Adams we found a young man of much promise, 
in whom we all took a deep interest ; alwa^-s cheerful 
and obliging, wide awake and full of mirth, and ever 
on the alert to comfort and please all around him. 
For a young man, he had seen much of the world ; 
had served under Kilpatrick, during the war, had ac- 
companied that ofRcer in his raids, and often found him- 
self in many positions of risk and danger, — being obliged 
more than once, while engaged in "tapping" the enemy's 



8 



FROM THE ATLANTIC SURF 



wires, to suddenly slide down the telegra])li pole, 
and niii for "dear life." He lia> invented a valuable 
niacliine for reporting stocks, etc., M-liicli has drawn forth 
very favorable notice from the Cnliinrnia Press. May he 
succeed, and may his " shadow never grow less." 

Mr. Proctor is a l<ing among travelers, has a "heart 
as bi": as the State of New Yorlc," and luckv the man 
who "sails in his craft," or joins hands in his circle. 
The morning shall find his face covered with smiles, 
and the evciiinjj- liis heart tiUcd with liladness. We 
looked up to him as the patriarch who was to lead us 
through the desert ; and well he fulfilled his task. May 
Uncle Sam send forth more such commissioners, and may 
the writer go with them. 

P>ut the center of the circle, and the light thereof, 
was Mrs. Marsli. I>orn and educated in New England, 
— one of those rare women whicli New Enijland alone 
can produce, — altliougli married and settled in California, 
she had not forgotten iier early home ; but had made 
almost yearly visits to it. Fi-om one of these visits she 
was now returning, and expected to nuM^t her husband' 
at Promontory. ^Ir. Marsh was one of the directors of 



TO THE GOLDEN GATE. ' f) 



the Central Pacific Iluad, and was to Le present at the 
ceremonies of " hiying the hist tie, driving tlie last spike," 
etc. Experienced in travel, Mrs. M, had the faculty of 
taking care of herself, and bore this i-ongh journey as 
bravely as the l)ravest. Her bright countenance, pleas- 
ant smiles and kind words, daih' reminded many of the 
party of soft eyes and warm hearts left behind. Par- 
ticularly did they recall to young Adams' mind thoughts 
of a bright-eyed maiden who dwelt among the hills of 
Massachusetts, whose fair hands had filled his little 
lunch-basket with delicacies, and whose parting words, 
of mingled love and sadness, still lingered in. his ear. 

Now, Dear Reader, taking it for granted that you are 
somewhat acquainted with our fellow-travelers, let the train 



move on. 



The road we found excellent, the cars pleasant and new, 
and the sleeping cars even elegant. We passed pleasantly 
on over a beautiful section of countrj^, bright and green 
with the freshness of spring, until night closed around us. 

The next niorniuij; fomid us rolling along the banks of 
the Platte River, whose wide, rapid, turbid, shallow stream 
we soon crossed. AYe were now riding over those great 



]»lains near" the centre <>t' the continent, ahout wliicli so 
niiicli lias been said and written. Some writers have pro- 
nonnced this region a desert, — roamed over, occasionally, 
by herds of hnttalo i3nt it is very far from being 
a desert. It is covi-rcd with grass, makes good pasturage, 
and contains thousands of acres which many a New Eng- 
land farmer might covet. 

We saw no bufialo, but plenty of antelopes. Sometimes 
we would see but one or two together; then, again, great 
numl)ers of tliem, at a little distance, running "Indian 
iile,"' along with us, apparently racing with the cars, and 
always winning in the race-. 

These are the regions that have been so often passed 
over, by emigrant trains and by trains bearing government 
stores to the forts and military stations still farther west. 
An old "Post Trader" on the cars told iis tliat he had 
seen live trains at a time, each with hundreds of wagons 
moving along, abreast, over these plains. Wagons can pass 
over any part of tho ]>lains. One single train will make a 
new road anywhere by once driving over the ground, and 
a VL'ry good road too. No l)etter section of country could 
be selected for building a railroad, so far as grading is 



TO THE GOLDEN GATE. JJ 



concerned. Soon we came upon an encampment of In- 
dians. They proved to be the friendly Pawnees, and were 
in the emplo}" of the Government. They were engaged in 
ffuardino; the raih'oad and as scouts to scour the surround- 
ing country, and give warning of tlie approach or hostile 
movements of the treacherous Sioux and other tribes, 
which have been the terror of the frontier settlements. 
There are two companies of these mounted Pawnee scouts, 
and Gen. Augur, who was in our car, said that he liad 
recommended the War Department to employ many more. 
He says they make the best of troops for this border 
country and the services required, and told me that he 
had never known a case where one of these Pawnee 
soldiers had ever proved treacherous or unfaithful. 

Steadily onward we rolled along these extended plains, 
through the clear, bright day, watching the distant ming- 
ling of earth and sky, gradually rising higher and higher 
from the far off sea and nearer valleys, towards those 
remarkable elevated table-lands that occu]>y so much 
space in the center of our great country. 

Towards sunset we approached the summit of the 
Rocky Mountains; the air became thin and transparent, 



12 FK<t.M TIIK ATLANTIC S U K F 



tlie vast ])lj'iiii> we Imd so recently traversed, lay s]iread 
out like a great sea behind us, wliile the Black Hills 
rose ii]» from the elevate<l ])lains hefore ns. Rapidly 
the iron hurse bore us on up the long grade until the 
snowy range of the Rocky Mountains, glittering in the 
rays of the receding sun, a])])eared upon our left. 

This was my lirst sight of the famous Rocky Moun- 
tains, My l)oyish dreams were realized. For hours, at 
the school desk, have I pondered over the map and 
waudered, in imagination, with Lewis and Clark, the 
hunters and trappers and early emigrants, away off to 
these Rocky Mountains, about which such a mystery 
seemed to hang, — dreaming, wishing, and hoping against 
hope, that my eyes might, some day, behold their snow- 
crowned heiiihts. And here lav the first 2;reat rauire in 
the pureness of white; distant, to be sure, but there it 
lay, enshrined in beauty, contrasting strongly with the 
deep l)hick of the IJiack Hills, which we were now 
passing on our right. 

Onward ])lunged the iron horse, until he stood 
planting upon the summit, 8,2-iO feet above the level of 
the sea — the highest point on any railroad line in the 



TO THE GOLDEN C4ATE. 13 



world. We stopped for a few moments, gathered some 
of tlie fine moss tliat grew upon the summit, drank of 
tlie water that gushed from tlie rock, gathered snow 
from the scattered lieaps tliat lay near at hand, watched 
the sun go down in a sea of glory, far, far below us, — 
his lingering rays glancing from the sides of the bright, 
snowy range, long after the Black Hills had become 
shrouded in gloom. 

Whoever has stood for the first time upon the top 
of Mount Wasliino;ton at sunset, can have some idea of 
the feelings that pervaded us, — feelings that jien or 
pencil can never portray. 

Here was the backbone of the continent. We were 
no longer to wind along uj) dashing streams, but were 
to OTQ down alone: their sides : the waters of those 
behind us found their way ' to the Atlantic Ocean,— those 
before poured into the far-oft' Pacific, or were swallowed 
up by the thirsty desert sands. 

I should mention liere the remarkable appearance of 
the rocks immediately around, as our train moved on. 
From the green sward peculiar colored rocks would 
suddenly rise uj) and assume all curious forms and 



14 



FROM THE ATLANTIC SURF 



sliapes; soiiic risini^ ii[> into cathedral towers, otliers 
taking the shape of statuary, some of dismantled forts, 
some of ruined castles ; and, still further on, they were 
seen in such nunihers and sliapes as to cause one to 
suspect he was passing the ruined walls of the blocks 
of buildings of some large city. We continued to gaze 
on these curious formations until darkness compelled us 
to seek the slee]Hng car, and the berths that young 
Adams' telegram had previously secured. 

That night our engineer was rcpoi'tcd drunk. I 
cannot vouch for the correctness of the report. He 
certainly performed some feats not necessary for the 
comfort of railroad passengers, such as twitching and 
jerking the train suddeidy forward, and stop])ing it 
suddenly, — almost throwing us out of bed, — sometimes 
scarcely moving along, tlicn si)eeding uj) and dashing- 
ahead as though demons were in ])ursuit of liini (I 
believe thev were). Soon his boxes were on tire, and 
he had to make long stops to cool off. His perform- 
ances were of such a nature that we were kept awake 
most of the night. 

Morning found us in tlie Great American Desert, 



TO THE GOLDEN GATE. ^5 



moving through the vast fiehls of sand covered with 
alkali and sage-brush, with no water tit to drink. Nearly 
all day we rode through this most miserable region of 
sand, sand, dust, dust, sage-brush, sage-brush, sage-brush ! 
The whole world seemed a desert, and here M'cre the 
sio-ns of the same. 

The only relief for the eve was the sio-ht of the 
snow-crowned peaks of surrounding mountains, provokingly 
distant. The eating-houses at the stations, which had 
hitherto been good, seemed now to partake of the nature 
of the country, consisting of miserable shanties, with 
tables dirty, and waiters not only dirty, but saucy. 
The tea tasted as though it were made from the leaves 
of the sage-brush, — literally, sage tea. The biscuit was 
made without soda, but with plenty of alkali, liarmon- 
izino; with the o-reat amount of alkali dust we had 
already swallowed. The butter was too venerable to be 
approached. The smell of the fried bacon reminded 
one of the slaughter-houses of the ancients. The spoons 
presented no tem])tation, not even for a Ben Butler. 
The knives and forks m.ay have been made of English 
steel ; but I would pity the man who would be so 



IM 



FROM THE ATLANTIC SURF 



rash as, with rasp or lile or scouriiig-sand, to umlertake 
to Work his way throiigli iiK-rustatioiis (hirk and deep, 
in the vain attempt U> find it. The prices were like 
those of the Fiftli Avenue Hotel, l)ut '' all else how 
ehangetl ! " 

At one dt" till- little stations we learned that an attack 
had l»een made the night before by the Indians, and some 
stock driven otl". We [)assed some Indians about to take 
the war palli, liideous in paint and feathers. We met 
other parlies mounted, the women astride like the men, 
and one could hardly tell which was " the lord of cre- 
ation," or which the " better half," were it not for tlie 
|)a])p(>ose which often formed the '' (Trecian bend" of the 
latter. 

At another station we met a crowd armed with rifles, 
shot-guns, revolvers, horse pistols, etc. ITpon inipiiry we 
learned that this was a Vigilance Committee. They had 
hung a nnm the day before from a telegrajth pole, for 
committing a fiendish outrage upon the only respectable 
woman in the i)lace. They had heard that the comrades 
and friends of the executed man were comimr on our 
train to avenge his death and to " wijie out the place," 



TO THE GOLDEN GATE. J^ 



and the Yigilance Committee were on liand, all armed, 
ready to receive them. 

The road, which had been very good until we had 
passed the summit, we now found very poor, having been 
hastily constructed, some of it in mid-winter. The grading 
was very poorly done, the road was very narrow, and the 
track, in places, decidedly unsafe. 

Towards night we began to lose sight of the sage- 
brush and ascend into a better region, clothed with green, 
up the gradually sloping sides of the Wahsatch, or main 
range of the Rocky Mountains. We drew nearer to the 
snow-capped peaks, and began to enjoy the grandeur of 
the scene before us. 

We ascended at a rapid rate, winding up the moun- 
tain, making a curve, in one instance of nine miles, to 
gain an advance of four. The road was very rough, and 
the cars were rocking and bounding in a very unsatisfac- 
tory manner. Assistant Superintendent Hoxie was on board 
with the conductor. We told them we thought there was 
danger to be apprehended from so great speed on such a rough 
road. Mr. Hoxie laughed and said there was no danger, and 
the conductor said he had never run otf the track yet. • 



18 FROM THE ATLANTIC SURF 



Tlie suiinuit was soon readied, and we be^-an to de- 
scend towaids Echo Canon. Our party M^as in tlic rear 
car — called the ladies' car. While turning a curve at 
a rapid rate, we were thrown i'vom the track. AVe flew 
to the l)rakes and s]»rang for the hell-rope. On we 
Ijounded over the ties, the car wdieels breakino; many of 
them a> though they were but i)ipe-stems. Every instant 
we expected to roll down into the ravine. AVe ordered 
the ladies to cling to the sides of the seats, and keep their 
feet clear of the floor. It seemed as if that train could 
never be stopped ! But it was l^rought to a stand-still 
u])on the l)riidv oi' an embankment. Had the cars gone 
a few rods further, the reader wjould probably never have 
been troubled by these liastily written pages. Tlirough all 
this, hardly a word had been said ; but now came the 
excitement, the screaming, the shouting and the weeping, — 
not umningled with some earnest prayers of thankful- 
ness to Him who had averted the threatened dauirer. 
All who remained on the car were uninjured ; but Mr. 
Jennings had leaped from the rear of the car, struck 
upon his head, creating an ugly-looking wound, from the 
eflfects of which he has not yet fully recovered. 



TO THE GOLDEN GATE. 19 

The car was soon upon the track again, and we 
proceeded at a very slow rate of speed, — hardly as fast 
as a man would walk. Mr. Hoxie said the road was so 
bad that we could not go on after dark, and we must 
stop at a little place called Wahsatch until 8 o'clock the 
next morning. We did not want to go on ; but what 
a place to stop in ! Ko buildings — nothing but tents 
or shanties, and all of them " whiskey hells " of tlie 
lowest kind. We worked oiu- way through the most 
villainous-looking crowd that man ever yet set eyes on, 
to an old sleeping-car on a discontinued side track, which 
proved to be densely populated with " creeping things." 

Here we had to spend the night — a night, as Mr. 
E^asby would say, of some " onpleasantness." 

Three hundred railroad men, of the roughest kind, had 
just been discharged and paid off, and were all drunk 
with poor whiskey, and were " roughing it "" over the 
place in a terrible manner, having every thing their own 
way. We were afraid they would attack our sleeping- 
car and "go through it,"" as the phrase is, and rob the 
passengers. 

The ladies were very much frightened, — there was 



20 FROM THE ATLANTIC SURF 



very little . sleej) in the car that night. Tlie doors were 
sefurely hjcked. Some of the party had anus, and stood 
on miard. INFanv times in the nio;ht some of the " ronghs " 
attempted to get in, and were driven away. They were 
apparently too drunk to form any organized plan of 
assault. I did not sleep, and shall long remember those 
sounds that made tliat night hideous, of howling, cursing^ 
swearing and pistol shots. Fights occurred by the score ; 
we could distinctly hear the blows. Knives were freely 
used, and the stabbing affrays were numerous. One man 
was shot directly under our car window. 

Morning came, luit no breakfast ; yet dajdight itself 
was to us a feast. An early freight train took off many 
of the drunken rowdies, and we sauntered out upon the 
surrounding hills. We came upon a small graveyard in 
whicii were several graves, every one of which, it was 
said, was filled by the victim of some broil or fight, — not 
one had died a natural death. 

Eight o'clock came, and we left this place of un- 
pleasant memories, and ])roceeded, at a slow rate, down 
into Echo Canon, descending the mountain on a track 
in the foi'iii (»f a letter Z. The track alonu' here Avas 



laid in the winter, and tlie frost was coming out of 
the ground, and tlie rains and melting snows had washed 
the slight road-hed so that a passage over it was very 
dangerous. Wrecks of freight cars, which had rolled 
down the embankments, were very frequent. Mr. Hoxie 
was with us, and exercised the utmost caution. 

When we entered Echo Canon, the scenery became 
grand beyond description. The mountains seemed to 
crowd near together, and their forms were very curious 
and singular. Their perpendicular walls of rock reminded 
me of the rocky walls that enclose the waters of the 
famous Saguenay River. 

But, grand as was the scenery of Echo Canon, it 
was far surpassed by the scenery of Weber Canon, which 
we entered about eleven o'clock. We ran very slow, to 
avoid another accident, and, therefore, had ample time 
to view the principal features of this wonderful canon. 
The Weber River forces its way here, through high 
mountains faced with perpendicular rocks, carved in fan- 
tastic shapes of castles, profiles, pulpits, stairs, slides, 
etc. Little streams, fed by the melting snows which 
accumulate in the recesses of the mountains, fall over 



22 FROM THE ATLANTIC SURF 



the lo% heights into the Weber below. As you look 
up tVoiu the .side of the deep canon thousands of feet, 
great masses of rocks appear as though the least jar 
or sound would send tlieni crashing down upon your 
head. We passed the "Devil's Slide," and reached the 
" Devil's Gate." Here the waters of the Weber are 
crowded into a small space, and make a sharp turn to 
tind their way out of their walled- ])rison. 

Here we came to a bridge high up in the air, ex- 
tending from cliff' to cliff", over which we were to cross. 
The melting snows had raised the river to such a height, 
and the rapid current of its rushing waters had so weak- 
ened the foundations of the bridge (which were never 
secure), that it was unsafe to cross. No train with pas- 
sengers had ever crossed it. Locomotives were not haz- 
arded upon it. At this point we made a long halt. 
Most of the passengers got out and attempted to cross 
the bridge. There were no planks upon the bridge, and 
the crossing nmst be done by stepping from tie to tie. 
When all was ready, Mr. Proctor took one hand of 
Mrs. Marsh, and recpiested me to take the other, and 
the march commenced. We put the left foot forward 



TO THE GOLDEN GATE. 23 



and kept step, if not to " tlie music of tlie Union," 
to the roaring and tlmndering of tlie raging Weber, 
wliicli foamed and dashed far down beneath us. A 
single misstep wonld have sent us down where no hu- 
man arm could rescue ; and where one poor fellow, the 
next day, went and returned not. But we passed over 
without accident, and the spectators declared that Mrs. 
Marsh had done nobly to lead two such men across in 
safety. 

Many of the passengers refused to cross in this way, 
and went back to the cars. A large body of men wei-e 
at work upon the bridge, trying in every way possible 
to brace and strengthen it. The superintendent resolved 
now to try to pass our locomotive over the bridge. 
Accordingly the passenger cars were switched off on to 
a side track, while our locomotive was left standing on 
the brink of the river near the end of the bridge; 
then another locomotive pushed a train of empty plat- 
form cars up to it, and " coupled on." The fireman 
and engineer then got down, and left their favorite to 
its fate, the latter remarking, " Good bye, old 121. I 
have been with you a great while, and hate to lose 



24 FROM THE ATLANTIC SURF 



von.'" Tlic i)latf(»nn cars were then slowly pushed for- 
ward, and the high, feehle hridgo, creaked and groaned 
under the weicrht of No. 121. We watched with in- 
tense interest the slow-moving machine, until it reached 
the solid shore, when a loud shout went uj). This ex- 
periment was a success, and the platform cars were 
drawn l)ack, and the })assenger cars were carefully juished 
over in the same way. Before all this was done a 
thunder-storm came down upon us, and there com- 
menced a search for shelter. An eno-iueer of one of 
the locomotives took Mrs. Marsh, and ran down to a 
small Mormon settlement a few miles l)elow, where she 
found a comfortable place and a gtjod meal, in a sun- 
dried l)ri('k mansion, abont eight feet high, of a kind- 
hearted Mormon saint. Here, in peace and comfort, she 
(piietly awaited the approach of our reunited train. 
Our passengers presented an amusing s})ectacle as they 
crawled beneath tlie rocks and })hinks and timbers, and 
under the tanks and wheels of the locomotives to es- 
cape from the beating storm. In spite of tlie drench- 
ini:; rain, 1 enioved the sioht of the l)hxck clouds and 
the forked lightning, and the sound of the peals of 



TOTHEGOLDENGATE. 25 



thunder rolling up the great ravine and rcverheratino- 
far back, and up among the great chasms and lofty 
peaks beyond. 

The train, upon the western shore of the Wel)er 
being made up and all ready, we loaded in and passed 
slowly down into the plains of Utah. We now held a 
"council of war." It was evident — the road was in such a 
stfite — that the conductor would not undertake to run in 
the night. Our thoughts wandered back to "Wahsatch. 
We resolved not to repeat the last night's experience. 
We had heard of a city of comfort and of plenty, where 
bright-visaged Brigham reigned, where we might feed on 
the food of saints, and sleep on beds of down. 

To Salt Lake City we resolved to go. 

We stopped at Taylor's Mills, and chartered a stage 
from Wells, Fargo & Co., loaded up in the midst of a 
drenching rain, and started at 6 o'clock, P. M,. for the 
city of salt and love. The distance was forty miles, the 
horses were to be changed at every ten-mile post. We 
had proceeded but a short distance, when we were called 
upon 1)}' the driver to get out and assist the stage through 
some mud-holes and over some side hills that we could 



26 FROM THE ATLANTIC SURF 



not pn>s M-itliont u]>^etti]i<!;. Several got out, and, by 
lian<'-inir upon one side of the stasje and then upon tlie 
other, as occasion required, managed to keep the vehicle 
'*rii;lit side up with care" until the bad places were 
passed, and we were again all suugly packed within, ce- 
mented together, as it were, with Utah mud. Very good 
time was made after this. The stage contained a jolly 
crowd ; jokes were perpetrated, stories were told, and, in 
spite of the stench issuing from the strong sulphur springs 
which were passed on the road, we all felt that we 
were api>roacliing a good place suited for a Sabbath's 
rest. On Saturday night, before 12 o'clock, at the 
Towiisend house, in the city of Salt Lake, we were 
enjoying the luxury of good clean beds, and awaiting 
with 0]>en arms, the approach of "tired nature's sweet re- 
storer, balmy sleep." 

I can never forget that bright Sabbath morning, when I 
awoke and looked out npon the beautiful (rreat Salt Lake 
basin, surrounded by a cordon of snow-capped mountains, 
rising nearly 7,000 feet from the plains and 12,000 feet 
above the level of the sea. The citv is located in a 
charming spot. We admired the broad, clean streets, 



TO THE GOLDEN GATE. 27 



with fresli streams of clear water from tlie meltinir snows 
of tlie mountains, pouring down their sides or ahjng- tlie 
alleys ; the little, neat houses embosomed in trees and 
shrubs, and the gardens of fruits and flowers. The 
Great Salt Lake glimmered in the distance, and the pure, 
warm air came to us tempered by the cool breezes from 
the neighboring snow -clad heights. How we enjoyed 
our morning walk and our morning meal ! 

It was an interesting sight to see the children of the 
Sabbath Schools, from the different wards of the city, all 
moving on, in processions, towards the Tabernacle, — all 
dressed in their Sunday best, many of the girls adorned 
with dresses of bright red and blue. 

We proceeded to the Tabernacle, a large, low build- 
ing, shaped some like the cover of a chafing dish. Some 
say it will hold fourteen thousand people. It was divided 
by a canvas partition, into two parts, but half of the 
whole building being needed. It is very difficult for a 
speaker to be heard in many parts of the building. 
Many of the Mormon dignitaries occupied seats upon the 
platform; among the number was Elder Kimball, Joseph 
Young, Mr. Cummings, W. W. Phelps, and Mr. Wood- 



28 FROM THE ATLANTIC SURF 



ruff", once of Connecticut, now "one of tlie Twelv^e." 
Tlie services commenced with prayer, tlien followed con- 
gregational singing, then another prayer, then singing 
ajjain. After this one of the Elders made some remarks, 
and introduced a Methodist minister from abroad, who 
had been invited to preach and address the assembled 
Sabbath schools. After the sermon another man, m'Iio 
claimed to be a Methodist minister, was called upon to 
make some remarks, which he did, in tones of thunder, 
and " brought down the house," He was loudly ap- 
plauded ; although one of the Mormons told us it was 
done in violation of their rules and customs. This last 
speaker proved to be a " black-leg " and noted gambler. 
There were "Gentiles" in his audience who knew 
him. He soon found that he was "spotted," and bore 
himself (piietly and (piickly away. In the afternoon 
their communion service was held. They use no wine. 
The Mormons are a temperate people. They use bread 
and colored water. Old and young can partake if they 
belong to the Mormon Faith, but all " Gentiles " are 
excluded; they can look on, as we did. "While the 
bread and water were being " handed round," in cake 



TO THE GOLDEN GATE. 



29 



baskets and pitchers, the Elders made some remarks of 
a rambling nature, the drift of which was that the 
whole world, outside of Utah, lay in wickedness ; that 
all the virtues of the race were embodied in the Mor- 
mon faith and practice. The people were exerted to l)e 
industrions, to avoid intemperance, and to shun the 
fashions and follies of " Gentile " life. In short, 
the men were cautioned against tight, fine-textured 
pants with broad stripes, and silk stove-pipe hats ; 
while the women were exerted to nurse their own 
babies, and to eschew the " pannier " and the " Grecian 
bend. " 

The services were somewhat lengthy, and the audi- 
ence was large. Several women partook of the bread 
and water while their babes were nursing at the breast. 
The number of the children is perfectly astonishing. 
If all of them follow the faith ol the fathers, Mormon- 
ism will never die out. In the evening services were 
held in one of the wards, in which the language used 
was so coarse and indelicate as to be out of place in 



print. 



Upon the invitation of an intelligent well-to-do Mormon, 



30 FROM THE ATLANTIC SURF 

Mr. Adams and myself went witli liim to liis liome. 
He hud but twu wives. Tlie lirst he had iiiurried and 
brought from the vicinity of Montreal, in Canada, the 
place of their birth. She has one child. The second 
wife he married in Michigan City, Indiana. She has 
six children, including two pairs of twins. They all 
appeared to live hajipily together. The first wife seemed 
to treat the second as a kind mother would a dutiful 
daughter. Tliey were both intelligent, and had seen 
something of the outside world. Our Mormon friend 
showed us his grounds, his beautiful garden, and his 
young, fruit-laden trees. Everything about liim bore 
marks of industry and tlirift. He led from his barn a 
valuable horse, which he " showed off " before us. It 
was a noble animal — a perfect picture of equestrian 
beauty, and would grace the stable of a Bonner or a 
Yanderbilt. We bade our Mormon friend " good bye," 
l)ut lie insisted on showing us about the city, and pointing 
<..ut the residences of the rulers of the Faithful. We 
walked along the different streets until we were tired, 
then parted company, and sought our hotel. 

We received many attentions from General Proctor, 



TO THE GOLDEN GATE. ^\ 



brotlier of our traveling friend, tlie United States Com- 
missioner. He commands at Camp Douglas, a military 
post three miles from the city, pleasantly located in a 
niche in the mountains. He came after our party, 
carried us to his camp, and to the Hot Snlpliur Spring's, 
and showed us many other acts of kindness, which were 
gratefully received. He (like all other military men in 
this locality) has little respect for the character, and 
especially the morals, of most of these modern saints. 

The Mormons have now a plan for quietly getting 
rid of the " Gentile " merchants who have fattened, as 
they say, in their midst. They have established mer- 
cantile institutions, or union stores, of which they have 
entire control, and which are designated in the following 
manner. Over the door of each are painted (arranged 
in the form of an arch) these words : " Holiness to the 
Lord ; " under the arch is painted a large eye, intended 
to represent, they say, the " all-seeing Eye ; " under the eye 
are the words, " Zion's Co-operative Union Mercantile In- 
stitution." The " Faithful " are expected to do all their 
trading at these stores. If thev are seen to go into 
other stores they are brought up for church disci]>line. 



32 FROM THE ATLANTIC SURF 



This new plan licars liard upon the outside merchants, 
and es])eeially upon the Jews, wlio liave grown rich on 
Mormon trade, Ijut arc now oblii^ed to close doors, and 
become the ]jests of some other community. 

The soldiers make much ridicule of these Mormon 
stores and signs. The eye they irreverently call the 
" bull's eye," and say it is put there because many of 
the Mormons cannot read, but can follow the eye, and 
hit U])on the ])ro])er stores. 

Our hotel proprietor is a Mormon. He has three 
wives : the first lives in dignified retirement, apparently 
looking down with indifterence or contempt upo7i all 
after-comers ; the third appears to be the pet, and has 
her quarters in another part of the city ; the second 
wife " keeps the hotel.'' She sees that all ]iarts of the 
house are kept neat and clean ; looks after the bedding 
and the furniture of all the rooms ; assures herself that 
the cooking is done in the very best manner ; attends 
upon the table, and kioks after the comfort of every 
individual guest. Having once heard, no one can forget 
the soft, sad tone of her voice, as she moves among her 
boarders, asking if thev will have somethin<«; more or 






TOTHEGOLDENGATE. 33 



something better in tlie way of eatables, or if there is 
anything more that can be done to make tlieir sojourn 
more home-like and agreeable. Happy the man or 
woman, worn and racked, covered witli tlie sweat of 
toil and the dust of travel, wlio can receive the kind 
ministrations of wife No. 2 at the Townsend House. 

Mr. Townsend is a very clever, intelligent man, and 
very obliging ; but the '' Gentiles " say he is very lazy, 
and will soon marry another wife to help do the house- 
work, as he knows it is cheaper to marrj^ than to hire. 
We liked Mr, Townsend very much, and our party 
had no reason to complain of our treatment at his 
well-kept hotel. 

The subject of polygamy I shall not attempt to 
discuss here. I held several arguments with the "saints" 
upon the subject, but always came off second-best. 
They (piote passages of scripture to sanction all their 
doings. They claim that the effects of their faith and 
practice can be shown in their own city, which is 
much better governed, and has fewer drinking-saloous, 
gambling-hells, and other bad places, than any " Gen- 
tile" city of its size. A plurality of wives, they assert, 



34 FROM THE ATLANTIC SURF 



improves the morals of a commmiity; aiul the sins 
practiced in our hirge cities were dwelt upon in terms 
more forcible than elegant. They say their wives live 
together in perfect harmony, but 1 have reason to 
doubt it. A lady — a teacher of music — informed me 
that wife No. 2 of a near neighbor of hers once 
rushed into her room with a 1)1hc1\ eye, and exhibited 
great rage. It appears that the three wives had got into 
a triangular fiirlit, and in the midst of the row the 
husband came in and dealt his blows, right and left, 
with little discrimination As No. 2 did not immedi- 
ately fall submissive at his feet, he ])itched her out of 
doors. After her rage had somewhat cooled, she dis- 
cussed the subject of divided affection. Pointing to the 
cemetery, she said, " Tliat graveyard is filled with the 
remains of yomeyi who have died of hroken hearts ! " 

No one can visit this city without admiring the 
temperance, the frugality and industry of its inhab- 
itants. Temporal prosperity and thrift are seen on 
every side. 

Coarse theatrical performances, such as are exhil)ited 
in our cities, are not allowed. All visit the theatre, 



but Brigham Young decides upon tlie character of the 
performances, and furnishes most of the actors. 

As I have before said, most of the Mormons have 
but one wife each. If they wish to take more they 
are obliged to show to the satisfaction of the Church 
authorities that they are able to support them. 

The richer the man the more wives he can have; 
and he, oftimes, takes " advantage of the situation," — 
selecting all the young and pretty women, leaving the 
poor young man, who " sighs like a furnace," to take 
the old and ugly, live in "single blessedness," or iiee 
to the " Gentiles." 

Those in high position in the Church have the 
greatest number of wives. How many Brigham has I 
know not, — I don't know as he can tell. Besides his 
wives, he has so many women " sealed " to him that 
one of our party remarked, "sealing-wax must by this 
time be very scarce in Salt Lake City." 

As David Crocket said to Gen. Jackson, " I like 
your cider, but — confound your pickles;" so I saw much 
that I liked in Salt Lake City, but — deliver mc from 
its female beauty! May I never become a Mormon 



3G FROM THE ATLANTIC SURF 

niitll a new revclati(>ii has 1»roui<;ht to liglit better speci- 
mens of feminine jthysiognomy tlian are iKtw found in 
Utah. 

On ISfoinhiv afternoon, after hiyinii: in ahnnchmt stores 
for our future journey, we again cliartered a stage from 
Wells, Fargo & Co., and started on our return to the 
railroad. 

The ride of forty miles was a delightful one, — this 
time all the wav hv daylight, — through what was once 
a desert, but, now in a certain degree, the garden of 
the world. The air was soft and balmy, and the most 
delicate veils of mist hunoj between the hills .and before 
the face of the distant monarch mountains, — snow- 
crowned and sky-piercing ! Every turn in the road 
developed some new feature of beauty, some new phase 
of the sublime. 

We traversed man}- a lovely spot, where once nought 
was seen but sage-brush and the desert sand, where 
the sound of neither beast nor bird was heard. 
But Mormon industry and irrigation brought forth the 
verdant lawn, the waving c-rain, the iirowino; fruits and 
the cooling shades ; and now, the cow and sheep recline 



TO THE GOLDEN GATE. 37 



beneatli wide-spreadiny; branches, and sweet-toned l)irds 
sing songs of gladness in thickets and in l)owers. At 
every stopping-place npon the road, little girls wonld 
come ont to the stao;e with some coolins: drinks or 
tem]>ting baskets of pies and cakes. 

At one station, (Franklin,) wo met Brighani Young 
and his party, who were returning from Ogden, wdiere 
they had been to inaugurate the ceremonies of break- 
ing ground for the new Mormon Railroad, which is to 
connect Salt Lake City with the great national high- 
way. 

The party had stopped to dine. Brigham was upon 
the piazza, but, as he found all eyes directed towards 
him, he turned away and went into the hotel. Mr. 
Hooper, Mormon Delegate to Congress, came out and 
held some conversation w^itli Mr. Proctor, whom he 
had previously met in Washington. Upon reaching 
the " bad spot " in the road, we all got out and walked 
around it, again loaded up, and drove on, reaching 
the station about dark. 

We found the train would not leave until 12 
o'clock at night, so we must in patience wait. We 



38 FROM TUE ATLANTIC SURF 



drew forth our supper from the lunch - baskets, and 
spread it upon the raih-oad platform, — using trunks, 
baskets, carpet - bags, and soap boxes for dining - room 
furniture. We had all things in common. We made 
but a small inroad upon the bounteous store of pro- 
visions Mr. Proctor's foresight had provided, neither 
did we make use of the china or silver ware, which 
Mrs. Marsh was charged to guard with jealous care. 

About 10 o'clock Mr. Marsh came on from Odgen, 
and joined us. He was at once made a member of 
our ring, and his admission was celebrated by a jolly 
good time. 

Mr. Marsh calls himself an old resident of Cali- 
fornia. He has long been connected with most of 
the public improvements of that growing State. He 
has a large interest in one of the quartz gold mines 
of Nevada City, and in the water works which supply 
the city, — and the miners for a distance of sixty miles, 
— is at the head of the masonic fraternity, and is, also, 
a Director in the Central Pacific Railroad. He had 
just taken part in the ceremonies of laying the last 
tie, and gave us a graphic account thereof. From 



him we gained much useful information in reo-ard to 
tlie route we intended soon to pass over. 

While engaged in pleasant conversation, the hours 
passed by. Twelve o'clock came, also the train, — with 
no sleeping - car. We took seats, and reached Promontory 
about daylight. We were at the end of the Union 
Pacific Railroad. Our further journeyings were to be 
over the Central Pacific. 

Owing to a quarrel, or misunderstanding, between 
the superintendents of these two roads, we found 
that we could make no connection, and could not 
leave the place until evening. The passengers became 
very indignant, and there was some " tall talking, " 
which fell unpleasantly upon the ears of Mr. Marsh, 
although he had done all in his power to remedy the 
matter and prevent the delay. The officers of the 
'' Union Pacific," ordered us out of their cars, saying 
they had use for them, — they had carried us to the end 
of their road, — they had nothing more to do with us, 
only to discharge us ; and out we were turned into 
the hot sun, with no shade, no hotel, no house, — 
surrounded by no comforts but sand, alkali, and sage- 



-1-0 FROM THE ATLANTIC SURF 



bru&li. Maiiv i»f tlie passengers, having had no sleep 
the niglit 1)efbre, looked pretty hard as they sat on their 
carpet-bags, nodding in tlie hot snn. One is astonished 
at the heat experienced here, in tlie middle of the 
day, upon tliese elevated deserts about 5,000 feet above 
the sea. l>iit tliere is no water about liere, and tlie 
sand reflects the heat. 

In the afternoon we were made more comfortable 
by the cool iu'cezes that came down from distant Rocky 
Mountain peaks. A person is very much deceived in 
regard to distances here, owing to the clearness of the 
atmosphere. Mountains that a})pear to many to be but 
eight or ten miles away, prove to be sixty or seventy. 
Some of the passengers, in order to ])ass time, resolved 
to go to the top of a small peak that lay otf to the 
left or south of the road. They thought the distance 
about three-fourths of a mile. After walkin<i' a \ouu: 
time, and Undiiig they did nut come to the mountain, 
and that the mountain did nut come to them, jjcave it 
up, and returned, The}^ afterwards learned that the 
niuimtain was more than six miles distant. A iiiember 
of another party shot a large rattlesnake, a little way 



TO THE GOLDEN GATE. 



41 



from the track, and carried the rattles in his nioney- 
pnrse to San Francisco. 

We had plenty of time to examine the " last tie," 
whicli had been so cut up tliat a guard had to be 
placed over it, — and this was said to have been the 
third " last tie " that had been laid there. 

We were quite amused at a- little incident tliat 
occurred during the day. One of the passengers strolled 
into a little whiskey tent, and asked if he could procure 
something to eat. The proprietor said, jocosely, that he 
could cook him some plover. "Plover — plover," said 
our passenger, " what is that ? " " Why, it is a bird 
that has got wings and can fly," was the reply. " Gt)t 
wings, and can fly ! " ejaculated our passenger ; " I'll 
none of it. Anything that has got wings and can Jly, 
and don't get away from this deserted, forlorn and forsaken 
spot, is unfit for htiraan food ! " 

We learned that we were to have no more sleeping- 
cars. The Central Pacific Company had none. They had 
several building, which were to be delivered before the first 
of July. When the contract was given out, it was sup- 
posed the road could not be completed before that time. 



42 FROM THE ATLANTIC SURF 



Niglit approaclied, and the Central cars came up to 
the rou»;h platform. Tliere wa? a '' bii^ rush " for the 
ladies' car, Mr. Marsh and tlie conductor manaj^ed to 
keep back the crowd until our party was seated, then 
on came tlie democracy, and, in an instant, every seat 
was filled. We ate our lun(;h, and started ; some 
leaving curses loud and deep upon the ])lace, and upon 
the parties who had caused our long detention in it. 

We found the Central Road much l^etter constructed 
and safer than that portion of the Union Road west of 
Bitter Creek. We rode along near the border of the 
Great Salt Lake, and i)asscd the monuments erected by 
Fremont, and where one of his foremen was murdered 
by tlie Indians. Sleep soon began to make demands 
u])on me, and I went forward into the ])aggage-car, 
rolled up in my blanket, cast my lot among tlie mail- 
bags, and slept soundly until morning. I awoke, cov- 
ered and choked with dust, and returned to my sleepy 
companions. We were now near the lluiuboldt Range, 
riding along the banks of the Humboldt River, that 
remarkable stream which, rising in the Rocky Mount- 
ains, runs on for hundreds of miles, then loses itself in 



TO THE GOLDEN GATE. 43 



the sands of the desert, or seeks some subterranean 
passage to the far-off ocean. Some other rivers in this 
western h\nd share the same fate. 

It was pleasant once more to behold the sight of 
clear, running water. The green grass began to appear 
and trees to show themselves, and we felt tliat we were 
approaching a better country. Cheerful countenances 
were again exhibited around our lunch-baskets, which 
still yielded, in great abundance, good* baked bread, 
sandwiches, cold boiled ham, pickles, biscuits, cheese, 
pepper, salt, butter, canned strawberries and peaches, 
cakes, crackers, pies, oranges, currant- wine, grape-wine, 
and, as the advertisements say, " other articles too num- 
erous to mention." 

In the afternoon we reached Elko, where a great 
many left to take the stage for the silver mines of the 
White Pine reo;ion, about which there is so muc.li 
excitement. 

Here we met the " wickedest man " living west of 
the Hocky Mountains. He liad been in almost every 
jail in California. He had just been driven from Wliite 
Pine, where the " last tie " awaits his return. 



44 



FROM THE ATLANTIC SURF 



One feature of our journey not mentioned, was tlie 
interesting siglit of large companies of Cliinamen con- 
stantly at work upon the road, making the bed wider 
and the track more secure. It was interesting to watch 
their movements, examine their peculiar costumes, includ- 
ing the "pig-tail," and to hear their happy Chinese 
chatter, and broken " pigeon English." These Chinamen 
are not to be immediately discharged, but are to con- 
tinue their labor until the "Central" is made in ever}' 
respect a first-class road. The " Union " has retained 
some of their men ; but has discharged by far too 
many. The western portion of their road needs a great 
deal of thorough labor to make it what it should be 
to satisfy the government and secure safety to the 
traveler. 

Both companies have graded roads near Great Salt 
Lake which are not made use of. Thev have graded 
by each other for a distance, I was told, of about one 
hundred and fifty miles. The " Union " got their rails 
laid down first, as far as Promontory. This unoccupied 
graded road, is, Ave understand, tlie ])rinci})al Ijoiie of 
contention between the two companies. 



TOTHEGOLDENGATE. 45 



Another iiiglit found us " riid, iiid, nodding " on tlie 
moving car. We awoke opposite tlie deserted city of 
Humboldt, where tliere was such a rush and rase for 
gokl-hunting a few years ago. The city contains eighty 
houses, but not a soul in one of them. 

We soon approached the Sierra Nevada Mountains. 
The Rocky Mountains, on the whole, did not meet our 
expectations. But these mountains came up to our 
pre-conceived ideas of mountains — embracing the spruce, 
the fir, the pine, dashing waterfalls, deep, dark glens, 
rocks, gorges, 

* * * Canons dark and deep, 
Where sunbeams never enter, torrents never sleep; 

and sky-piercing pinnacles, warring with the elements, and 
sending down their melting snows to water the parched 
eartli in the vales and plains below. 

We entered Truckee Canon. Here we found a number 
of large saw-mills, and the lumber business immense. 
Lumber from this region supplied the hundreds of miles 
of railroad which we had passed over since leaving 
Promontory. The Truckee River supplies water-power 



46 



FROM THE ATLANTIC SURF 



ill o-rcat abnudance. The waters of this river are cold 
and clear, and within tlieni trout do inncli abound. 

Through Truckee Canon all emigrants were formerly 
obliged to pass, to get into California. Here the greater 
portion of a party of emigrants (called the Donner 
party) perished in 1845. Tliirty-nine persons were frozen 
or starved to death. They were caught in the snow, 
and got out of provisions. 

In the spring their bodies were found, nearly 7.000 
feet above the sea, and the tops of the stumps of trees 
which they had cut down for fuel, were 18 feet from 
the ground. The reader can judge a little of the 
depth of the snow they were endeavoring to struggle 
through. Mrs. M. is well acquainted with a lady who 
was of the party, and related to me the tolk^wing 
incident : 

This lady had a child, a girl, twenty-three months 
old. The mother became weak and exhausted, — driven 
almost to insanity. All motherly instinct and affection 
seemed to liave deserted her. She lost all hope and, 
liiially, al)anduncd her chikl I Left it beliind to die! 
A man who came along, tlie next day, found this child. 



TO THE GOLDEN GATE. 



47 



still alive, and altliongli starving himself, took it up in 
his arms, and bore this burden, day after day, suffering 
untold horrors, but still clinging to his helpless charge. 
The mother lived, and became wealthy, in San Francisco, 
The stranger and child lived and settled in San Jose. 
When reason and strength were restored, the mind of 
the mother constantly went back to the abandonment of 
her child, which she, of course, supposed had perished. 
By accident, she learned that a child had lieen picked 
up by some person who came on after her, and taken 
to San Jose. She went there, and found it to be her 
own child ! — her only daughter ! The man had adopted 
her, and both claimed her. They compromised, and 
shared the prize. They educated her. loved her, and 
cared for her, — the one as a fatlier, the other as a 
mother, — and this once deserted child is now an accom- 
plished lady, the wife of a Dr. Mitcliell, and resides in 
Oregon. 

Many tales of this Donner party are told, some 
of tliem of a startling nature, but 1 liave not room for 
them here. I am informed that the history of tliis party 
is recorded in a book. Donner Lake, which derives its name 



48 FROM THE ATLANTIC SURF 



from the leader of tliis party, is a beautiful sheet of 
deep, dark, blue water, embosomed in these high moun- 
tains. Words wouhl fail to describe the many scenes and 
grand sights along these mountain sides. 

Our train worked its way slowly up the steep grades 
until it conveyed us into a severe snow storm, — such as 
we have sometimes in New England, in the month of 
February. We had, at the next station, a grand time of 
snow-balling. We now entered the tunnels or snow -sheds. 
The trains pass, in all, through twenty-two miles of 
sheds, and next winter will pass through forty miles. 
These sheds are not in one continuous line, but are built 
where most required, at intervals, along the road. 

We stopped a few minutes at the summit, more than 
7,000 feet above the sea. I wish that every reader 
could pass along these mountain sides, and take one 
look at these verdure-sided j^eaks ; these crystal mountain 
streams ; these wild ravines or gulches, and gaze down 
into these awful canons. 

Every turn in the road revealed new beauties. 

At Cisco we partook of an excellent breakfast. The 
water upon the table was as clear as crystal, and nearly 



TO THE GOLDEN GATE. 49 



as cold as ice itself. Tlie^winds whistled, and the snow 
flew without, while we appeased our keen appetites with 
the good things within. 

After breakfast, M^e began to descend. We were • 
already, in California. We went the next fifty miles 
w^ithout the aid of steam. The conductor and brakeman 
ran the train with brakes on most of the way. On we 
dashed through Blue Canon, and on into the mining 
region, where hydraulic mining has been carried on to 
a great extent ; where water has been conducted, for 
miles, in ditches, flumes and pipes, over hills and ravines, 
to the place desired, and turned upon the hills until 
they have been almost washed away. All the way on 
to Colfax, the hills, away to our right, appeared to have 
been subjected to these hydraulic processes, and nearly 
obliterated, through man's thirst for gold. 

The climax to our mountain ride was the " doubling 
of Cape Horn," as it is called. We arrive at an 
impassable ravine, and must go around it. We follow 
the track around the sides of high mountains, — looking 
down into a canon of awful depth, — winding around 
for miles, until we almost meet the track we had before 



50 FROM THE ATLANTIC SURF 



been over — so near that one would think we could 
almost throw a stone across. We have been around the 
head of the canon, and have, therefore, " doubled Cape 
Horn." 

At Colfax, Mr. Marsh and family left us, to take 
their carriage, which was waiting to convey them to 
their home in ISTevada City ; and the best wishes of 
the remainder of the party went with them. 

Here we met the train from Sacramento, bound 
eastward, and many anxious inquiries were made of us, 
concerning the road, the eating-houses, and the Indians. 

Here we met some of the Digger Indians, — poor, 
harmless specimens of humanity. — half clothed in rags. 
These Indians feed upon berries, grasshoppers and acorns, 
and lodge in the open air. under little bark shelters, or 
in little holes which they dig in the ground. They are, 
probably, the lowest specimens of the race, but are 
good-natured and inoffensive. 

The question has been often asked in regard to the 
prospect of danger to the Pacific Road from hostile 
Indians. I find that men best qualified to answer the 
question differ in their opinions. Some military men 



TO THE GOLDEN GATE. 



51 



think tliat a raid will be made upon the road this 
summer, by the Sioux. They were " stirred up " by 
Sheridan, last fall, and are thirsting for revenge. They 
have somewhere from ten to fifteen thousand warriors, 
mounted on fleet horses. It would be an easy matter 
for them to rush on to an unprotected portion of the 
road, in the night, tear up the track, withdraw until 
the train comes up, is thrown from the track or brought 
to a stand-still, then rush forward again, and tear up 
the track in the rear of the cars, and thus have all of the 
passengers at their mercy. Others say that the Indians 
will not touch the telegraph wires or railroad. They 
have a sort of mysterious awe of both, and especially of 
the great " smoke wagon," as they call the locomotive. 
But bad white men may join them, and teach them in 
their nefarious operations. Most of the outrages committed 
upon the frontier settlers, by the Indians, have been 
instigated and set on foot by bad white men in their 
midst, — men who unite with them, and make use of them, 
that they may have the lion's share of their plunderings 
and stealings. 

The portion of the road supposed to be in the 



52 FROM THE ATLANTIC SURF 



most danger from the Indians is in the vicinity of 
Cheyenne. 

Our cavalry cannot operate successfully against these 
Indians in the summer, when their horses are in good 
condition. They are too fleet for our horsemen. 
They must be hunted in the winter. 

The poor Indian has few friends, and his days 
will soon be numbered. 

As we descended the mountain the snow storm 
turned into a rain storm, and we reached Sacramento 
in the midst of it ; took , the steamer and sailed down 
the Sacramento River, looking with - w^onder at the 
immense piles of Salmon that lined the shores at 
every landing. We took on board cart - loads of them, 
which had just been caught in the river. We were 
also surprised at the advanced stage of the crops 
and vegetables along the shore. Strawberries had 
long been plenty, and wheat was almost ready for the 
harvest. 

We steamed along, near the base of Mount Diablo, 
down the Bay to San Francisco, and called our jour- 
ney done. The continent had been crossed. 



TO THE GOLDEN GATE. 53 



Our locks, SO recently moist with the spray of the 
Atlantic Surf, now waved in the breeze that poured 
through the Golden Gate. 

CONCLUDING REMAEKS. 

Since the foregoing was written, I have made the 
return trip over the same roads, and found things 
much improved. The bad portions of the Union 
Road were made much better, the bridge over the 
Weber passable, and, at Wahsatch, we found a 
respectable eating - house. 

There is much room for improvement yet. There 
is the same vexatious delay at Promontory. We were 
nearly eight days in coming from San Francisco to 
Kew York. Six days, with proper management, is 
sufficient. The fare is still too high, one hundred and 
seventy - three dollars. It should be reduced to one 
hundred dollars. On our return we had, on the 
Central Road, the most elegant and comfortable sleep- 
ing-car that we had ever seen. All the sleeping-cars 
on the Pacific Roads were much better than those 
we found this side of Omaha. But four dollars a 
berth is a pretty large price. In regard to meals, 



54 FROM THE ATLANTIC SURF 



one dollar and a quarter is a pretty steej") price to pay 
for fried liam and potatoes. 

Self - interest, alone, will soon compel these com- 
panies, to imjii'ove their grades, lessen their curves, re- 
place their weak bridges by more j)6rmanent ones, 
lay another track, and erect comfortable station-houses. 
Citizens of a country that furnishes the best hotels in the 
world, will see that eating-houses and hotels are erected 
at suitable places along the line, where travelers can find 
good meals, and good rooms fur the accommodation of 
those who wish to stop over and rest in their journeyings. 

In less than ten years, travelers passing over these 
roads, will find villages and cities scattered alono; the 
whole distance from Omaha to San Francisco. The 
plains will l)e dotted with thousands of farm houses ; 
tlie mountains will become places of summer resort ; and 
even the sage - brush, in many portions of the great 
upland desert, will disappear before the fertilizing 
streams of water which man's ingenuity and industry 
will cause to flow down from the distant mountains, 
and through the arid ])lains, enriching and beautifying 
on their way. 



TOTIIEGOLDENGATE. 55 



Two other lines of railroad will soon be built ; one 
over the " Southern," another over the " ISTortliern 
Ronte. " 

An immense population will soon appear along these 
routes. All these j-ailroads will, in a few years, 
have more business than they can do ; and vast 
sections of the country will soon l)e calling loudly for 
more railroad facilities. 

To get a proper idea of the vast extent of our 
country, one must attempt to wander over it. Let him 
travel for weeks, for months, yes, for years, and never 
cross its boundaries. Let liim view its millions of yet 
unoccupied acres, and think of the thousands on thousands 
of human beings its resources can supply, and forgive 
him if his bosom swells with American pride, and he 
boasts of the best country on the face of the earth. 

Dear Reader, we must now say, Farewell ! At some 
other time, in some form, I may tell you of my wan- 
derings in California and Oregon ; of some of the won- 
ders of the far-famed valley of the To - Semite ; of rich 
mines of ""old and silver ; of the heat and steam and 
almost infernal fires that rage in the deep canon of the 



5G FROM THE ATLANTIC SURF 

geysers ; of tlie famous " big trees ; " of the remarkable 
sights in Bower Cave ; of wanderings among the Sierra 
Nevada Mountains ; of steam passage to Oregon ; of 
the great Oohimbia River, its cascades and romantic 
passage througli the Rocky Mountains ; of stage rides 
by night and by day through all of Oregon and a 
great portion of California ; of the never-to-be-forgotten 
visits to Mount Shasta and Mount Hood ; and of a vast 
region unsurpassed in richness, — its surface covered 
with matchless grain, luscious fruits and brilliant 
flowers, while beneath the volcano smoulders and the 
earthquake sleeps ! 



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